#United States #College Park #Federal Budget #Public Consultation #Deficit Reduction

Americans Prefer a Different Federal Budget

A new national survey conducted by the Program for Public Consultation has revealed significant disparities between the federal budget preferences of American citizens and the draft proposal being developed by Congress. This survey, which engaged a representative sample of Americans, demonstrated that the majority lean toward a budget that prioritizes deficit reduction, aligning more closely with public opinion rather than the proposed Congressional budget.

Major Findings of the Survey

The survey indicates that if given the choice, citizens would collectively reduce the current federal deficit by an impressive $703 billion. This reduction comes from both Republican and Democratic respondents, who suggested cuts amounting to $492 billion and $737 billion, respectively. Remarkably, bipartisan agreement was evident, as both parties jointly endorsed modifications that would achieve around $463 billion in deficit reduction. The main methods for this proposed budget overhaul included tax increases, predominantly on wealthier individuals, and modest spending cuts across various sectors.

Steven Kull, the director of the Program for Public Consultation, emphasized the stark differences. According to him, “When Americans are given the chance to propose their own federal budget, there is a dramatic contrast between their priorities—which would lead to a deficit reduction—and what Congress is currently contemplating, which would increase it.” This statement underscores the citizens' desire for a budget fundamentally different from the one currently being crafted by lawmakers.

Taxation: A Point of Agreement

One of the most significant divergences between public opinion and Congressional proposals lies in taxation, particularly regarding higher-income earners. While the current budget draft suggests extending tax cuts from 2017 across the board, survey results indicated that a majority support reinstating higher tax rates for those earning above $200,000. In fact, this would generate an estimated $266 billion in deficit reduction. Bipartisan support was also evident regarding a wealth tax: 78% of those surveyed favored a new tax of 2% on wealth exceeding $50 million and 3% for amounts over $1 billion, predicting around $200 billion in revenue.

Defense Spending Cuts Recommended

Additionally, the survey revealed a stark contrast in opinions regarding defense spending. As Congress anticipates a significant increase in the defense budget by about $150 billion, most respondents expressed a preference for cutting this area, suggesting a decrease of $60 billion. Notably, even Republican respondents advocated for a reduction, albeit smaller than that of their Democratic counterparts.

Medicaid and Social Programs

The survey also examined Medicaid funding, where the results showcased a strong consensus in favor of maintaining or increasing current spending, contrasting sharply with Congressional plans to cut approximately $80 billion from Medicaid. A remarkable 54% of participants wished to preserve funding levels unchanged, with 63% of Democrats and 57% of independents supporting this stance. This highlights a critical area where public opinion diverges from Congressional strategies.

Exploring Public Preferences Further

The data illustrates that citizens prioritize maintaining crucial funding for non-military foreign aid, including humanitarian assistance and global health initiatives. Moreover, while Congress has proposed cuts to research funding—specifically targeting the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation—most Americans in the survey opposed such reductions.

Citizens' opinions displayed a marked preference against lowering corporate tax rates, with only 24% supporting such initiatives. Instead, a majority suggested increasing the corporate tax rate to generate additional revenue.

The survey methodology involved a unique